Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/217

Rh they not send re-enforcements, according to the promise made to Gen. Scott before he sailed for Vera Cruz, and crush the war at once. But, oh! no; they don't want the war ended so soon. Somebody wants to make a little more money before it is ended.

It is a well-known fact that if Gen. Scott had about five thousand more troops at the time the battle of Cerro Gordo was fought we could have marched on to the Halls of Montezumas without the firing of a single gun or the loss of a single man, but jealousness is the cause.

In the evening Gen. Worth's band played in the park near where I was stationed, which had the effect of bringing a large crowd of senoritas, senors and umbras to the park. They seemed delighted with the music, and their whole conversation was Americanos mucho bueno.

The weather being very pleasant, had the effect of bringing out the wealthy and foreign nobilities with their splendid coaches, and blooded horses and mules attached. They occupied the road or drive around the park, which is about one mile and a half in circumference, dashing at full speed, followed behind by a ranchero or guerilla, and probably a gambler, also on a spirited mustang, no doubt stolen from some of the farmers, his own countryman. Their saddles are nearly all splendidly mounted with silver, and some with gold, and other showy equipments, costing from four to eight hundred dollars a piece, and they are the finest saddles I ever saw. We have none like them in the United States. I am informed that they are easier riding saddles than ours, and I am beginning to think that there must be some truth in it, for I noticed many of our officers having these saddles.

About 8 o'clock this evening the band serenaded Gen. Worth's headquarters, and never did I listen to better music. It raised quite a crowd in the neighborhood, and the senoritas were out on their balconies chatting, laughing, talking, and, of course, smoking their puros and cigaritos.